Black Out
by Demon Flame
Summary: why does every meeting with kushina always end up in a cold shower for minato? 8th in series


It had been a few weeks since Kushina had last seen Minato. Though that awful woman never failed to remind her of what a tramp she was every time Kushina passed her fruit stand. She was about two more insults away from sticking a paper bomb to the woman's stand and laughing at the destruction it would cause.

The reason she hadn't seen Minato was because she had been kept busy with various missions and every time she was off missions he was on them. Oh well, embarrassment only followed their meetings anyway so maybe this way was better, for her sanity.

She had just got back from a mission in the land of waves and was fully intent on taking a nice long shower. She needed to wash off the dirt and grime that had accumulated while her team fought with enemy ninja's. As she trudged into her apartment she vowed to never battle with anyone who had mud jutsu, it just wasn't worth it, especially when it was caked in her hair like it was.

She peeled her clothes off and threw them into a pile on the floor before climbing into the steaming shower. She let out a contented sigh as the hot water worked its magic on her aching body. This was the good life; nothing was better than a hot shower after a long mission. After a moment she began the process of scrubbing off the dried mud before washing it all out of her hair. It was times like this where she considered cutting it.

After she had finished cleaning she cut the water off just as her power went out. She waited for a moment for it to flicker back on but it remained dark. Perfect. She groped in the dark for her towel before tripping out of the tub and slamming her shoulder into the side of her sink. She finally found it and dried off, and then she wrapped it around her so that she could go in search of candles or a flashlight.

She was ninety percent sure that she didn't have either but she had to search none the less. After twenty minutes she decided that she should just get dressed and go out to grab some dinner. She tripped over herself and other thing that had been left out in her apartment before giving up. At this rate she wouldn't be able to get dressed and eat until daylight tomorrow morning.

She only had one option; she had to hope that one of her neighbors was home and that they had a candle or flashlight she could borrow. She also had to hope that they wouldn't realize she was in just a towel. So with as much dignity as she could muster with crawling around on her floor in the dark in nothing but a towel she made her way to the front door. She gave herself congratulations at only hitting her head twice before standing up to readjust her towel and heading out the door.

The hall was even darker than her apartment, so with her arms outstretched out she slowly walked forward till she could feel the apartment's door across from hers. She knocked and hoped for the best. She was about to knock again when she heard movement on the other side of the door.

XxX

Minato had been studying and formulating new seals when the power went out. Ever since the enemy had snuck in the week before and messed with the power grid they had had rolling blackouts. Luckily he kept a flashlight and a store of candles close by and so was prepared.

He had resumed his studying and had kept at it for about thirty minutes before he heard a knock on his door. He took a nearby candle with him before opening the door. He was not prepared for the sight that greeted him; it was almost like a flashback to a few months prior. There was Kushina her red hair wet and wrapped in only a towel. Even in the dim light of the candle he could see her blushing, he just hoped that she couldn't see him doing the same.

"Uh, hi, Kushina." He said keeping his firmly planted on her face.

"Do you think I can borrow a candle?" she asked unable to look up at him.

"Sure." He said and held out the candle he had brought with him. "Here you go."

She took the candle and said her thanks as she walked back across the hall to her closed door. Minato couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her form. He was getting as bad as Jiraiya, he thought with dismay. Even after all of his promises he was taking after his sensei.

He watched as she jiggled the handle to her door a few times before leaning her head on the door. She mumbled something that sounded like 'great' before slowly turning around to face him.

"I seem to have locked myself out." She told him.

He swallowed a lump in his throat, all the training he had endured over the years didn't prepare him for this. "Um." He said thickly. "Would you like to borrow a shirt or something?" he asked.

She could definitely wear a shirt but he didn't have any pants or shorts for her to borrow. "If you don't mind." She said.

He stepped back and allowed her to enter his tiny apartment before closing the door behind him. He walked past her and over to his closet to find a shirt long enough for her to wear. He eventually found a t-shirt he hadn't worn in ages and handed it over to her. She took it and headed to his bathroom to get pull it on.

Minato returned to sit on his bed where he had left his scrolls scattered. He had just begun to start his studying again when Kushina stepped out of his tiny bathroom in his shirt. He felt his jaw drop open at the sight her lit by the dim light of the candle she was holding.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to go in through my window and unlock the door, could i?" she asked hopefully.

At that moment there was a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder before a torrential downpour beat against his own window. He grimaced at the thought of going out in that weather before turning to look back at her who was looking out the window too with a defeated frown.

"You're welcome to stay her until it lets up and I can go ask the landlord to unlock the door for you." He said with a crooked grin.

"You really are a saint." She said.

He left his apartment, taking a spare candle with him. He walked down the three flights of stairs till he reached the bottom floor where the landlord lived. It didn't take long to explain what happened and get a spare key for her apartment. He walked back up the stairs and into his apartment to find Kushina asleep on his bed.

She looked peaceful which was odd, when she was awake, no matter how tired she was, she seemed to almost vibrate with energy. He was tempted to let her stay there but decided against it as he walked over to wake her up.

"Kushina?" he said shaking her shoulder gently. There was no answer so he tried again, this time he got a moan as she stretched causing the shirt to ride up her leg till it was close to her hip.

His face grew hot again and he decided she wasn't going to wake up, that meant he was going to carry her to her bed. He just hoped that he didn't see anything he wasn't meant to in transit. He bent over and scooped her up in his arms, smiling when she nuzzled into his chest, before turning and taking her over to her apartment.

He managed to balance her while he unlocked her door and took her inside. No wonder she couldn't find her clothes, her room was a mess and there was absolutely no light coming from her window.

He walked over the stuff scattered about her room and laid her down on her bed. She was just too damn cute for Minato's health. He tucked her in and left, locking the door behind him. Tomorrow he would ask her out to dinner, but for now he needed a shower, a cold shower.


End file.
